Velocipede



(No Model.)

H. L. CHAPMAN.

VELOGIPEDIL.

No. 329,362. Patented 001;. 27, 1885;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN L. CHAPMAN, OF MAROELLUS, llIIOHIGAN.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,362, dated October 27, 1885.

Application filed May 13, 1885. Serial No. 165,343. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERMAN L. CHAPMAN, of Marcellus, in the county of Cass and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Velocipedes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in velocipedes,the object of the same being to provide improved means for propelling and guiding a velocipede, and to further provide a machine which shall be of simple construction, light, and durable; and with these ends in view my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

The accompanying drawing is a view in perspective of a tricycle embodying my invention.

A represents a double-crank axle, on the ends of which are secured the two drivingwheels at. B is the guide-wheel.

The skeleton supporting-frame consists of a rectangular portion, 0, the ends of which are loosely secured on the axle A, on the outside of the cranked portion of the same, and two forwardly-extending rails, 0, connected at their forward ends by a pair of cross-bars, D d, one or both of which are preferably curved to afford additional stiffness to the frame. The shank e of the supporting-fork E extends upwardly through the crossbars D d, and has a free rotary motion therein. The riders seat F is supported at the desired height upon standards f, secured to the frame 0.

The propelling mechanism consists of a lever pivoted to the supporting-frame in front of the rider, and adapted to be vibrated forwardly and backwardly by the arms and legs of the operator.

In the construction shown in the drawing the operating-lever G consists of a rod or bar bent U-shaped, with its ends terminating below the rails c and bent slightly toward the rear. The branches of the lever G are pivotally secured to the rails c, the bite of the le ver extending upwardly to a height convenient for the operator to apply arm-power there to. Near the lower ends the said lever is connected with the crank of the axle A by a pair of non-flexible connecting-rods or pitmen, attached to the lever in vertical adjustment. The extreme lower ends of the lever G are connected with the treadles H by the rods h, also attached to the lever in vertical adjustment, the treadles being suspended by the vibrating rods I, secured to rails 0. By simultaneously drawing back on the top of the lever G and pulling forwardly on the lower ends of the lever, and vice versa, the drive-wheels are rotated and the vehicle propelled.

To afford a convenient hold for the grasp of the hand, and at the same time enable the hands to operate the guide-wheel without releasing their hold, I provide the following mechanism: A handle-bar, K, is secured to the top of the lever G in a laterally-tilting adjustment. The handlebar is preferably provided with a stud or branch, k, centrally located on the bar and extending at right angles thereto, which is secured in a suitable bearing formed in the top of the lever. To the stud or branch 70 a depending arm, L, is rigidly se cured, and hence vibrates from side to side with the tilting of the handle-bar. Two pulleys, M, are secured to the branches of the lever G, one to each branch, at points about on a horizontal line with the lower end of the arm L, the said pulleys rotating in the same plane in which the arm L vibrates. Two pulleys, m, are secured to the branches of the le ver G at points slightly above the centers of the connections between the lever G and the rails c, and rotate in the same planes in which the branches of the lever G vibratethat is, in planes at right angles to the plane in which the pulleys M vibrate. Flexible cords or chains a are attached to the lower end of the arm L and lead to the right and left over the pulleys M, and from thence beneath the pulleys m, and thence to the ends of a cross bar or yoke,

N, secured to the upper end of the shank e of the supporting-fork. If the pulleys m were concentric with the centers of the pivotal connections between the lever G and the rails 0, the winding of the cord 12 about the pulley m as the lever G is rocked forwardly would tend IOO I to tighten the cord,and the opposite motion to loosen it. To obviate this the pulleys m are located just far enough above the centers of I the connections between the lever G and rails 0 to allow the pulleys m to be moved bodily forward enough to compensate for the length of cord taken by the winding about the pulley, above referred to, and the cord is thus kept at a uniform tension and ready to transmit the slightest tilting motion of the handlebar to the guide-wheel. Thus the operator, while grasping the handle-bar and exerting the forward and backward thrust of the body simultaneously with the relaxing and pushing of the legs, is enabled, without releasing or even relaxing his hold upon the handle-bar, to guide the machine with the greatest accuracy, while the adjustable attachments of the pitman and treadle rods to the lever enable the operator to employ a long stroke and great leverage in riding over rough roads, up hills, &c., anda short stroke in riding over smooth roads, on race-tracks, &c.

The simplicity of the above construction and the opportunity it affords for using a light and yet strong supporting-frame, taken in connection with the means for the applica tion of leg and arm muscles and weight of body in propelling the machine, and the means shown for directing its course without interfering with the propelling-power, are very important advantages.

The above propelling mechanism may also be applied to boats, enabling'jthe operator to propel and steer them in the same general manner as he does the velocipede, paddles be ing secured to the ends of the driving-shaft in the place of wheels, and a rudder substituted for the guidewheel.

It is evident that slight changes might be made in the form and construction of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. For ex-- ample, the lever G might have vits branches spread-to admit the legs of therider between them; or they might be so close together as to be conveniently straddled by the rider.

The supporting-frame may beof many other forms than that shown, and the handle-bar and means of communicating its motions to the guide-wheel may be modified; hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the construction herein set forth. I am aware, however, that it is not broadly new to propel a velocipede by means of the arms and legs acting simultaneously, and that it is not broadly new to control the guide-wheel by the tilting of ahandle-bar; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a velocipede, the combination, with the crank-axle and supporting-frame and a stationary seat, of a vibrating propelling-le- Ver pivoted to the frame .and a tilting steering-handle connected with the lever, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the crank-axle and the supporting-frame, and the seat rigidly secured to the supporting-frame, of the propelling-lever pivotally secured to the sup porting-frame, treadles attached to the lower end of the lever, a handle-bar attached to the upper end of the lever, and rods connecting the crank-axle and lower portion of the lever, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the crank-axle,

thesupporting-frame, a seat rigidly secured thereto, and a gu'idewheel, of the propellinglever pivotally secured to the supportingframe and having its lower portion connected with the crank-axle by pitmen, a laterallytilting handle-bar attached to the upper end of thelever, and flexible cords-or chains connecting the handle-bar with a cross-head on the guide-wheel fork, for the purpose substantially as set forth.

4. In a-velocipede, the combination, with the crank-axle, supporting-frame, and vibrating hand and foot lever pivoted to the frame, of pitmen connecting the crank-axle and 1ever,-said pitmen being secured to the lever in vertical adjustment, substantially as set forth.

5. In avelocipede, the combination, with the crank-axle, supporting-frame, and vibrating hand and foot lever hinged to the frame, of pitmen connecting the crank-axle and lever, and swinging treadle-rods, both treadle-rods and pitmen being secured to the lever in vertical adjustment, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the crankaxle, the supporting-frame, and the guide-wheel, of the vibrating propelling-lever, the handlebar secured in tilting adjustment to the lever, and flexible cords, chains, or their equivalent,

leading from the handle bar around pulleys,

and thence to the. ends of a cross-head on the guide-wheel fork, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the two-branch propelling-lever adapted to vibrate forwardly ,and backwardly, the laterally-tilting handle- .end, of treadles attached to its lower end and suspended in a free swinging motion from the front portion of the supporting-frame, substantially as set forth.

9. The propelling and guiding mechanism herein shown,.consisting, essentially, of the two-branch propelling-lever, the treadles at- In testimony whereof I have signed this tached to its lower end, the pitmen connectspecification in the presence of two subscrib- [0 ing it with the crank-axle, the tilting haning witnesses. dle-bar secured to the upper end of the le- 5 ver, and the connections leading right and left from the arm on the handle-bar to the WVitnesses: cross-head on the fork of the guide-wheel, J. CALL JoINER, substantially as set forth. ARTHUR HOISINGTON.

HERMAN L. CHAPMAN. 

